The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-11-05
TURKISH REcREATIoNs.
How the Indolsnt Subjects OF the Sultan
Amuse Themselves.

Amuse Themselves.
The traits of people may often be
judged as correctly from their pleasures
and recreations as from their history
and serious conduct. In the freedom
of the idle, pleasure-seeking hours.
people will betray whether they are
imaginative or matter-of-fact, whether
they are gentle or rough. whether they
are sober or buoyant Of spirit. 1t Is
usual to find that people who dwell
in rugged, inhosptable lands, in re.
gions of storm and gloomy skies, prefer
amusements which are hardy and act.
i've; while those who dwell in softer,
SUMMER climes enjoy themselves in
milder recreations.
The old French chronicler, Froissart,
observed, when in England, that tho
English ''took their pleasures very
sadly" The English, and especially
the Scotch, dwelling as they do in y
capricious climate, are noted for tho
ruggedness and hardihood Of their
sports. The buoyancy and gayety OF
the French character, on the other hand,
are strikingly reflected in the lightness
and sparkle which appear in all their
favorite pastimes.
The recreations of Oriental peoples
are more interesting, because less
familiar to us, than those of the Western
peoples. and afford quite as reliable q
key to national character. A recent
sojourner in Turkey has given n very
entertaining account of the ways in
which the subjects of the Sultan beguile
their many idle hours. The Turks are
an indolent people. The languor of
their beautiful climate renders them
prone to take the world easily, to have
frequent holidays, and to enjoy pleas
ures which soothe rather than excite.
The principal public recreations of
the Turks are three. One is. to witness
the burlesque acting of n company Of
men, who do not use any stage for their
performances, but issue forth from be-
hind a simple screen. These players 60
about from place to place, erect their
screen in the open mir, and give their
performances before the motley crowd
of turbaned idlers who gather around
them. Another favorite amusement is
what the writer referred to calls the
"Turkish Punch and judy" This
show, however. is given by means OF
shadows cast upon u white sheet. The
effect of this is very weird and striking.
The third public recreation is tho
gathering in the streets, or on the open
spaces, to listen to the thrilling tales Of
the .'meddahs.' or professional story
tellers. The meddahs take the place.
in Turkey, of lecturers in America.
They relate the most exciting stories,
with many emphatic gestures, contor-
/ tons of the face and modulations of the
voice. They sit in the middle of an at
tentive circle. and often rouse their
hearers to high pitch of breathless
interest and excitement by their dra
matte powers of narration.
The Turkish women are allowed to
witness the burlesque acting, but they
are forbidden to be present at the
Punch and Judy shows, and at the
STORYTELLING of the meddahs. The
women, moreover, are not permitted
to attend the theaters and opera
houses.
Like all Orientals. the Turks arc
very fond of music and of dancing
But their airs, musica! instruments ant
dances are entirely different from those
of Western Europe. They partak'
very much of the nature of the race ~
seen in other ways. The Turkish
music, to Western ears, sounds soft
, melodous and monotonous. The Turks
on the other hand, regard European
| music us too loud, boisterous and con
, fused in sound. A choir, or an orches
ira, in Turkey, all sing and play thu
, air only.
The Turks like ceremony, and al
? their recreations are pursued in Sc
date, quiet, ceremonious way. The musi
clans. dancers. story-tellers are usheret
. before and away from their audience
t with flourishes and obeisances, and ar,
t rewarded with much solemnity of de
meanor. There are very few recrea
| tions in Turkey in which men ant
women are allowed to take part il
common. When both sexes witnes
the same performance, the women al
l ways sit in a group behind screen o
thick lattice, so that they can witnes
, what is going forward without seein!
3 or being seen by the men. But in thi
case, the best point from which to viev
the performance is accorded to tn
=, womcn.-Youth's Companion.